The American Menu

Paris,  1878-1923  French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted this portrait of a waitress at one of the Établissements Duval, ...

Steamer James Montgomery ca. 1858  Steamboats played a major role in transporting passengers and freight on the Mississippi River and...

Christmas, 1878-1882 Emerging from a deep economic depression, the United States entered a period of rapid industrial growth in 1878. ...

Kunming, China Christmas 1943  The eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains was called “The Hump” by pilots who flew transport aircraft b...

London & Peabody,  1851-1869  Nineteen-year-old Winslow Homer illustrated this lively scene showing the celebration for London-base...

Milwaukee,  1885  Mark Twain was staying the Plankinton Hotel when this menu appeared in 1885.  He was in Milwaukee on tour with Sout...

Iowa, Wisconsin & Maine 1855-1858 Menus, which are marketing tools as much as anything, are best taken with a grain of salt. It ca...

New York,  1860  Queen Victoria’s eldest son, Prince Edward, traveled through the United States on a diplomatic tour in the fall of 18...

Atlanta, Georgia 1888  Thomas Frazier was the headwaiter at many fine hotels and resorts in the late nineteenth century. Born in Charl...

New York City,  1912-1915  Reisenweber’s played a pivotal role in American popular culture during the second decade of the 20th century...